Quran Verses About Wealth
The Quran calls wealth a trial, not a trophy: 'your wealth and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him a great reward' (64:15). Money is 'adornment of the worldly life' (18:46) that must not divert from remembrance (63:9) — yet the balance is struck in 28:77: seek the Hereafter 'and do not forget your share of the world.' These eleven ayahs give the Quran's financial worldview.
Updated July 16, 2026
- Surah Al-Munafiqun 63:9
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تُلۡهِكُمۡ أَمۡوَٰلُكُمۡ وَلَآ أَوۡلَٰدُكُمۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَمَن يَفۡعَلۡ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرُونَ
O ye who believe! Let not your wealth nor your children distract you from remembrance of Allah. Those who do so, they are the losers
The warning at wealth's door — let not your wealth and children divert you from the remembrance of Allah.
- Surah Al-Kahf 18:46
ٱلۡمَالُ وَٱلۡبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَٱلۡبَٰقِيَٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتُ خَيۡرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٌ أَمَلٗا
Wealth and children are an ornament of the life of the world. But the good deeds which endure are better in thy Lord's sight for reward, and better in respect of hope
The valuation — wealth and children adorn this life, but enduring good deeds are better with your Lord.
- Surah At-Takathur 102:1
أَلۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱلتَّكَاثُرُ
Rivalry in worldly increase distracteth you
The diagnosis of acquisitiveness — competition in increase diverts you.
- Surah At-Takathur 102:2
حَتَّىٰ زُرۡتُمُ ٱلۡمَقَابِرَ
Until ye come to the graves
How long the race lasts — 'until you visit the graveyards.'
- Surah At-Taghabun 64:15
إِنَّمَآ أَمۡوَٰلُكُمۡ وَأَوۡلَٰدُكُمۡ فِتۡنَةٞۚ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥٓ أَجۡرٌ عَظِيمٞ
Your wealth and your children are only a temptation, whereas Allah! with Him is an immense reward
The reframe — your wealth and children are a trial, and the great reward is with Allah.
- Surah Ali 'Imran 3:14
زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ ٱلشَّهَوَٰتِ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلۡبَنِينَ وَٱلۡقَنَٰطِيرِ ٱلۡمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ ٱلذَّهَبِ وَٱلۡفِضَّةِ وَٱلۡخَيۡلِ ٱلۡمُسَوَّمَةِ وَٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ وَٱلۡحَرۡثِۗ ذَٰلِكَ مَتَٰعُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥ حُسۡنُ ٱلۡمَـَٔابِ
Beautified for mankind is love of the joys (that come) from women and offspring; and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and horses branded (with their mark), and cattle and land. That is comfort of the life of the world. Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode
The pull of gold, silver, and possessions is acknowledged — then trumped: with Allah is the best return.
- Surah Al-Qasas 28:77
وَٱبۡتَغِ فِيمَآ ءَاتَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ وَأَحۡسِن كَمَآ أَحۡسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيۡكَۖ وَلَا تَبۡغِ ٱلۡفَسَادَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ
But seek the abode of the Hereafter in that which Allah hath given thee and neglect not thy portion of the world, and be thou kind even as Allah hath been kind to thee, and seek not corruption in the earth; lo! Allah loveth not corrupters
The Quran's balance sheet — seek the Hereafter through what Allah gave you, without forgetting your share of this world.
- Surah Al-Isra 17:26
وَءَاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرۡ تَبۡذِيرًا
Give the kinsman his due, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and squander not (thy wealth) in wantonness
Wealth carries obligations — the relative, the poor, and the traveler have rights in it — and waste is forbidden.
- Surah Al-Isra 17:27
إِنَّ ٱلۡمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوٓاْ إِخۡوَٰنَ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينِۖ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لِرَبِّهِۦ كَفُورٗا
Lo! the squanderers were ever brothers of the devils, and the devil was ever an ingrate to his Lord
The severest line on extravagance — the wasteful are the brothers of the devils.
- Surah Al-Hadid 57:20
ٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا لَعِبٞ وَلَهۡوٞ وَزِينَةٞ وَتَفَاخُرُۢ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَتَكَاثُرٞ فِي ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَوۡلَٰدِۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيۡثٍ أَعۡجَبَ ٱلۡكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصۡفَرّٗا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَٰمٗاۖ وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ عَذَابٞ شَدِيدٞ وَمَغۡفِرَةٞ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضۡوَٰنٞۚ وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلۡغُرُورِ
Know that the life of the world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow, then it becometh straw. And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion
The life-cycle of worldly wealth in one image — rain, pleasing growth, yellowing, scattered debris.
- Surah Al-Layl 92:18
ٱلَّذِي يُؤۡتِي مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ
Who giveth his wealth that he may grow (in goodness)
Money's redemptive use — the righteous one 'gives from his wealth to purify himself.'
Arabic text: Tanzil Uthmani (public domain). English translation: Marmaduke Pickthall, “The Meaning of the Glorious Koran” (1930) — public domain.
Frequently asked questions
Is wealth good or bad in Islam?
Neither — it is a trial (64:15). The Quran permits enjoying your share of the world (28:77) and praises wealth used to purify oneself (92:18), while warning against letting it divert from Allah (63:9) or become a contest that ends only at the grave (102:1-2).
What does the Quran say about spending money?
Give the relative, the poor, and the traveler their rights, and do not waste — 'the wasteful are brothers of the devils' (17:26-27). Spending in charity is multiplied by Allah (2:261), and generosity purifies the giver (92:18).
Can a Muslim be rich?
Yes — the Quran's own examples include prophets given great wealth and kingdoms. The condition is stewardship: seek the Hereafter through what Allah has given you (28:77), keep remembrance first (63:9), and meet wealth's obligations to others (17:26).
Sit with these ayahs, not just skim them
Read each verse in its surah, favorite the ones that hold you, and ask Noor about anything unclear — free to start.
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